The Journey Home - Cali Edition 2013

Tuesday morning was a very, very early morning! We had to be at the airport by 5 am. But even more important than that was that we get to go to 4 am prayer at the church. We didn't want to miss it!! 

So we got up at 3:15 am and got our bags downstairs to be ready to load. Then we walked to the church to pray. We climbed into the van and, after hugs, said goodbye to Vince.

After the van ride to the airport we got in line to get our tickets and board the plane. And said goodbye with hugs to Sandra.

After going through Immigration (Customs) with agents and guards, we found ourselves by an Oma Coffee Shop waiting to board. I could not go without trying a coffee from an actual Oma Cafe. After all, I had Oma coffee in my suitcase!  I got a latte de arequipe which is a caramel latte. And just so you know, very good!

After the plane took off we got some great pictures of the mountain ranges we were flying over! I think they are called the Faraliones de Cali and the Cerro Calima.

We were all exhausted but between the customs form, the juice cart and the breakfast meal going through the cabin I wasn't able to sleep any. I don't anybody else in our group got any sleep. I don't sleep well on planes! Never had. I was slightly jealous of the two asia girls in the seats behind me. They were zonked out the whole time!! 

After we landed, some of us (ahem, Ron!) got to go straight through from the airplane to the next boarding area. All the rest of us had to go exit the terminal, get our luggage and then go back through security. I think it was God showing Ron that he doesn't have to be too concerned about international travel, because with God all international can be easy. 

It was difficult (again, read frustrating) to have to do all that again, but we got to where we needed to be with a little extra time. Since we were all going back to our respective home arenas, Genell, Steve and Bob were headed out on a different airline at a different time. I think their layover was only 2 hours. The rest of us had a six hour layover. Which was fine. 

This is a good time to mention what the effects of those little bugs from the day before were. I do not and have never liked mosquitos. I hate the idea of mosquitos. I don't like that they transmit diseases. You get the idea, right? Well, I will take mosquitos over those little bugs anytime! Those of us that had bites were itching intensely!! All day long, beginning when I woke up, they itched!!! Bad! 

And the only thing I had to put on them? Sanitizer!! It would do some good for a while but ultimately all it did was sting bad enough that I forgot about the itching. 

Genell let me have some hydrocortisone to rub in and it did almost no good. So I just put up with them. (Edit- They finally went away three days after this!!) 

Then, it was time to say goodbye to our friends that were leaving early. Again, hugs went around. I will miss them. But I know I'll see them again at various district events. So only shortly parted. : ] 

While we were waiting we got an email from Vince about the house. The price had started out about twice what they could afford (found this out on the way to the airport in Cali) and by the time we were in Miami and waiting to board the plane, it had dropped to about 40% of the price! It was the elusive extra 10% that was not happening. But what a major drop in price! God was working!!

Time passed and we got on the plane. I know I was seriously dragging. But yet, wide awake. I think Ron was too. : ] 

We got to our seats and it was time to close the hatch. Yet, strangely, the back row of the plane was vacant. Hmmmm. So Ron and I asked to move to those empty rows. Accepted. Happy! 

The flight was not very eventful and I still couldn't sleep!! But we were getting closer to home!!!!

After landing and then getting our bags, it was once again time to say goodbye to each other. Ron, Bill, April and I gave hugs and said our farewells. What a trip together! God was so very good to us.

Turning my phone off airplane mode yielded an email from Vince! The price had dropped down to exactly the price they could afford! It could still be a little cheaper but what an amazing answer to prayer! Look what God did in only 36 hours!

My original plan was to stay at a friend's house in Minneapolis and then drive home the next day. But I felt pretty awake and after a sandwich I decided to hand on home. I mean, I was this close to my family. I think Ron inspired me, as he did the whole drive home thing too and he had even further to go than I did. 

I got pretty tired around Rochester and had to pull over for some milk and those awesome Hostess chocolate donuts. You know the ones I mean!! Goodness in a row.

About five minutes from home, I debated whether to text Alissa and tell her. I decided not too. What are the chances she would even be awake at 2 am?

I drove up and the house had the extra lights that my wife leaves on when I am not home. I got my stuff and as quietly as possible I entered the house. 

I think I freaked her out a bit. Fortunately, I was NOT hit over the head with a baseball bat and am currently writing this, so you know I survived. 

But man, it was so good to be HOME. I crashed. At the time I arrived home, I figured out that I had gotten something like 6 hours sleep in 48 hours. And I needed to get up in 4 hours to help get the kids ready for their day. WOW. I was so tired. 

But that is for another post, another day. I plan on doing one last post that sums up the trip for me and the recovery time. As for this series, it is almost over and I am so glad that it may help you or entertain you or at the very highest of goals, inspire you to go on a mission trip of your own. 

May it be so.

(Will post a video of the trip home when I have more pictures to complete it.)